Food Risks as an Indicator of the Quality of Life in the Region

The quality of life is a complex characteristic of the level and conditions of people’s life. This indicator reflects the degree of satisfaction, as well as the subjective perception of life and its individual aspects. In this regard, the quality of life is the most important indicator of the socio-economic development for separate communities and the nation as a whole. However, science has no unified system of indicators to determine the quality of life or its correlation with various threats, i.e., downside risks. Food consumption is an important element in assessing the quality of life, and food risk is a component of the overall downside risks. The research objective was to develop a methodology for determining food risks as an indicator of the quality of life. The authors studied the level of food consumption by the population of Russia as a whole and the population of the Kemerovo Region. The consumer food price index served as an indicator of food risks in the system of the quality of life. The study relied on standard research methods and involved a review of scientific sources and official documentation. Statistics for 2012–2022 underwent a comparative analysis of regional vs. federal data to determine the degree of deviation, which reflected the food risks to the quality of life. The Kemerovo Region proved to lag behind the Russian average in five out of nine food products, i.e., vegetables and melons, vegetable oil, fruits and berries, dairy products, and sugar. The regional deviation was smaller in the case of meat and meat products. The consumption of bread products and eggs approximated the federal level. Potato consumption was above average. Food prices appeared to grow at a slower pace than in the country as a whole. The comparative analysis of actual vs. standard food consumption in the region demonstrated a severe long-term shortage of fresh fruits, berries, vegetables, melons, dairy products, oil, and meat in the diet of local residents, who try to compensate for this shortage with potatoes, eggs, bread, and bakery products, not to mention sugar. The estimated level of food risks for the quality of life proved to be 10–11%, i.e., a stable lag behind the all-Russian indicators of food availability. Food risk assessment is an important indicator of the quality of life. It reveals problems in the regional food security and makes it possible to develop the necessary measures. Food risks can be reduced by increasing the local agricultural production, improving the trade logistics for specific goods, optimizing the regional food supply management, and promoting the healthy lifestyle.